UTEP (1-1) led 6-0 early in the game, which kicked off at 9 p.m. MDT and ended at 12:45 a.m. Sunday morning, but the Red Raiders (2-0) fought back for a 16-13 halftime lead.

Webb was 17 of 31 passing for 278 yards with the three TD tosses to Marquez, who only caught three balls - all for scores. Tech's leading receiver was Jakeem Grant, who had eight catches for 150 yards.

Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury was happy with the win, but expressed some concerns after his team had to work very hard to hold off an underdog for the second week in a row.

"I think once again, they were disappointed in the way they played, but we found a way to win and we have to build off of it and get a lot better very quickly for next week," he said. "I think we grew up some, but the penalties didn't improve and we have to make more plays on offense. We are hot and cold and very inconsistent."

Even after Tech pushed its lead to 23-13 on a 13-yard scoring pass from Webb to Marquez in the third quarter, the Miners - who are a notoriously tough at home against big-conference foes — wouldn't let the Raiders pull away.

UTEP answered with a 24-yard touchdown run from Jeremiah Laufasa, followed by a failed point-after kick that cut Tech's lead to 23-19 at the end of the third.

A 9-yard scoring run by Aaron Jones and successful point-after kick by Jay Mattox at 5:05 put UTEP back in front at 26-23. Jones finished with 151 yards on 23 carries to lead the Miners, who continued to give the Red Raiders all they could handle.

UTEP outrushed Tech, 277-226, finished with more first downs, 24-20, and surprisingly ran more plays than the Red Raiders, 78-59. But Tech had 504 total yards to UTEP's 393, thanks to 278 passing yards. And even then, UTEP limited Tech to a 4 for 11 showing on third-down conversions.

"No loss feels good, but I was proud of the way our kids played," said UTEP head coach Sean Kugler, whose team will host rival New Mexico State next week. "They fought their hearts out. If they fight like that every week, I like our chances to win the game."

Again, though, Tech turned to its passing game and another hookup from Webb to Marquez. This time, the two connected on a 9-yard touchdown and Ryan Bustin's extra point put the Red Raiders ahead to stay at 30-26.

The key plays on that drive, which covered 75 yards in seven plays, were carries of 20 and 24 yards by Justin Stockton. Stockton led Tech with 139 yards on just eight carries, including a 75-yarder for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Still, UTEP wasn't done. Autrey Golden returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards. After a 15-yard facemask penalty was tacked on, UTEP had the ball on the Tech 33-yard line with 2:23 still to play.

This time it was the Raiders' defense that answered the bell, limiting UTEP to 4 yards on four plays and forcing the Miners to turn the ball over on downs. UTEP's final play, a fourth-and-6 from the Tech 29-yard line, ended with an incomplete pass.

From there, Tech kneeled out the final 1:23 to wrap up the victory. It was the Raiders' sixth consecutive win against the Miners, but only its second non-Sun Bowl trip to El Paso since 1963.

"I thought they (defense) hung in there," Kingsbury said. "They gave up some things and missed some tackles, but they gave us a chance to win the game at the end.

"I thought (UTEP) did a great job. When you run that many plays - I think they ran about 80 plays and didn't turn the ball over. That is impressive . (Miners QB) Jameill (Showers) took care of the ball and they had a really good game plan."

Kingsbury said that Tech, which hosts Arkansas next week before playing road games at Oklahoma State and Kansas State, must continue to improve.

"We are just young at all positions," he said. "I thought Davis did some good things, but he missed some throws. But, that last drive was huge, and it was a character-building drive and I am proud of the guys for finding a way to win.

"We kept getting in our own way, just like the week before. Penalties once again. We turn it over. We don't get it on third down. But, like I said, I am proud of the way they finished, because it is not easy to win here."

UTEP came out strong in its home opener, holding Tech to a three-and-out on the game's opening possession and then marching 72 yards in 11 plays to take a 3-0 lead. Mattox converted the field goal from 22 yards out at 9:44.

Tech finally got into gear offensively two series later, but after rolling up three consecutive first-down plays Deandre Washington fumbled at the end of a 9-yard carry. It was the only turnover of the game, and Jameel Irving recovered for UTEP at the Miner 16-yard line.

The Miners pushed their lead to 6-0 at the end of the first quarter after Mattox booted a 27-yard field goal.

The Red Raiders answered quickly, tying the game at 6-6 on a 75-yard burst down the left sideline by Stockton. Tech went for two on the point-after attempt but failed, leaving the game tied at 14:48 of the second quarter.

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From there, both offenses found their footing.

After holding the Miners to a three-and-out series, Tech took its first lead of the game, 9-6, on a 28-yard field goal by Bustin. A 40-yard completion from Webb to Grant sparked the drive.